Mitch Cartwright looked at his parents Adam and Sally Cartwright.
“May I try to break a horse?”, asked the young cowboy of 15.
“No, you are still too young to do something dangerous like that”, Sally answered determined.
Mitch looked at her amazed.
“What can happen?”, he asked.
“A whole lot. You can break your neck and/or other body parts. Or ended up in a wheelchair for good. You are already crippled enough”, said Sally.
She sounded very concerned about her only son.
“Darling, Mitch did already dangerous things when he was just able to walk. He was 4½ when he climbed into a tree with his leg brace. And that was after 4 months of bed rest. Just let him try it. We are there”, said Adam.
He looked at his wife with a look as: ‘Just let Mitch try it. Then he can lose his energy.’
“Alright then. But only you, Mitch, may get involved with the horse breaking. Not your sisters”, Sally said reluctantly.
“Not even Pam?”, asked Mitch.
Pam was his twin-sister.
“Not even Pam”, answered his mother.
Mitch walked up to her, kissed her and said then, “Mom, I love you.”
“I love you too. Just go along with your father before I change my mind”, said Sally.
Adam took his son outside.
“Son, she is just concerned that something will happen to you”, said Adam.
Mitch shrugged his shoulders careless and said, “I always will recover.”
“That can be so but we rather see you in 1 whole than in 1000 pieces. Even though your uncles think about that differently”, reacted Adam.
“They might be put me wrong together”, Mitch said laughing.
“That is really something for them”, Adam said confirming.
They looked laughing at the younger brothers of Adam (and so the uncles of Mitch and Pam) Hoss and Joe. Of course the distrust of Hoss and Joe was awake at once.
“I don’t trust it when Adam and Mitchy are together and laugh”, said Hoss.
Hoss always called his only nephew Mitchy instead of Mitch.
“Me neither”, said Joe.
Though they were in a cheerful mood. The jolly mood of the Cartwrights changed right away when hand Frank Stone came to them.
“May I know why that little lad is here?”, Frank asked pointing at Mitch.
“You may know that but we are afraid that you won’t like the answer”, answered Hoss.
The brothers knew that Frank hated Mitch and let that show clearly too.
Mitch took the initiative by saying, “I am going to try to break a horse.”
Frank first looked stupefied and began to laugh out loud then.
“The horses run away hard when Mitch comes into the corral”, the hand said still laughing.
He thought to be very funny but Adam said sarcastic, “I may hope that those trample you.”
Now Frank didn’t laugh anymore.
He even said, “Mitch Cartwright, I challenge you to break a wild horse. I say that you won’t succeed.”
“What is opposite it?”, asked Joe.
“If I lose, which doesn’t happen of course I resign and I leave. But if I win Mitch does my work for 1 month”, answered Frank.
“Only the work which is suitable for a 15 year old boy”, reacted Adam.
“No, all my chores!”, said Frank.
The brothers looked at Mitch and the boy said, “I accept the challenge. If I lose I also get your wages for 1 month working.”
Frank rubbed his hands and said sniggering, “That will be a month being lazy.”
They walked to the corral where Ponderosa ranch owner Ben Cartwright (the father of Adam, Hoss and Joe and grandpa of Mitch) and foreman Candy Canaday were already. Hoss told them about the challenge.
“Candy, go with Mitch to the horses. You do know which horse must be broken as first”, the rancher said when he had heard everything.
That happened. Before Mitch climbed on the horse he said in silence a quick prayer to his late mother Mary Cartwright.
“Come on little one”, called Frank.
The others too encouraged Mitch and not much later the young Cartwright had calmed down the horse.
“Great done son”, Adam said proud as a peacock.
“Thanks daddy”, Mitch said smiling.
Frank climbed over the hence, grabbed the reins and said, “This horse is now mine!”
He pushed Mitch out of the saddle and wanted to mound on but got a few kicks from the horse. Joe and Candy calmed down the horse. The steady hand Griff King had been sent away by Ben to get the doctor.
Adam and Hoss quickly fetched Mitch away. The young Cartwright had fallen very unlucky on the ground but was conscious.
“Are you alright lad?”, Adam asked worried.
Mitch blinked a few times with his eyes and answered then, “Yes, my wrist is hurting enormously.”
Hoss examined the wrist and said, “Your wrist is probably broken.”
“Hoss, help me to bring this boy to the guest room. He remains in bed until the doctor has been for him”, said Adam.
His brother nodded and helped with Adam the young Cartwright up. Mitch supported his left wrist and got supported own his won by his father and uncle.
When it was quiet again Ben and Joe looked by Frank.
“Pa, he is dead”, Joe said after an examination.
“You and Candy bring him away. Griff is already gone for the doctor for your nephew”, answered Ben.
The rancher was clearly visible worried about the condition of his only grandson.
The brothers had put Mitch in the guest room where he got taken care of by Sally.
“How does this young horse breaker feel?”, asked Adam.
“My left wrist hurts”, answered his son.
Mitch tried to move his injured wrist but that failed.
“You stay in bed until the doctor has been and has examined and treated you”, Sally said determined.
“Understood mom”, Mitch said timid.
Mainly by Joe the boy knew that women could and wanted to be dominant sometimes.
Because Mitch had fallen asleep lightly only Adam remained by him. Suddenly his 3 year old daughter Rose came in with a book.
“Daddy, you must read to Mitch now he is in bed”, she said.
“He waits for the doctor after a falloff a horse. That’s why we have put him to bed”, Adam said in an attempt to get from under it.
Rose looked at her brother with begging eyes whereby Mitch gave in to her request.
“Just start to read, daddy. It has been so long ago that you have read to me”, said the boy.
Because Adam couldn’t refuse his children anything he decided to read. Rose climbed upon the bed and went to sit by her brother.
Yet before Adam had read the book doctor Paul Martin had arrived.
Adam gave the book to his daughter, put her on the ground and said, “Just ask if Pam reads to you. The doctor must treat your brother.”
“And grandpa can pay in December the doctor’s bill”, Mitch said dry.
Rose went to look for Pam so that Doc could treat the boy. Adam told what had happened exactly..
“Mitch, do you have a headache?”, asked Doc.
The boy answered, “No, I just can’t move my left wrist anymore.”
“He fell very unlucky on the ground”, said Adam.
Doc said, “Your wrist is broken. I want that you come along to Virginia City because then I set your wrist in a cast.”
Adam said, “Mitch, I go with you in the carriage.”
Mitch agreed.
Not much later Doc had left for Virginia City. Adam had prepared his own carriage and followed with Mitch the doctor.
Joe and Candy had delivered the mortal remains of Frank by the undertaker and wanted to go home when they saw Mitch coming with his left arm in a sling, followed by Adam. The 2 walked to them with their horses.
“A broken wrist”, Mitch said when he saw their questionable looks.
“We go home”, said Joe.
He and Candy mounted on their own horses. Adam helped Mitch into the carriage. Here after they drove back to the ranch. But in a very quiet pace due to the broken wrist of Mitch.
Suddenly Mitch asked, “Daddy, will mom not be angry with me because my wrist broken?”
“Mitch, it wasn’t your fault that you fell and broke your wrist. Frank pushed you off the horse and she knows that. Sally is just concerned because she loves you very much”, answered Adam.
“What are women strange people”, reacted Mitch.
“That is indeed so. But they say that about us as well”, his father said smiling.
Mitch knew this.
Finally the young Cartwright said, “Breaking a horse is in fact a much easier challenge than to live with a lot of women.”
Adam’s reaction was, “I couldn’t have said it any better”
He thought though, ‘Mitch, you start to look more like me all the time.’ Though Adam was so sensible not to say this to his son.
Arrived at home Mitch was the center of attention what his sisters and cousins were concerned. Especially Lisa and Rose found their brother very tough with his broken wrist. The grownups weren’t clearly less pleased with it. It was nearly Spring and then there was always very much work to be done up and around the ranch.
Finally Ben said, “Mitch, I have a new challenge for you as long as you are injured. This challenge is heavier than breaking a horse. You look after your sisters and cousins.”
“That is indeed a much heavier challenge than breaking a wild horse. But I will succeed in that as well”, answered Mitch.
Mitch kept word and babysitting was for him a tougher but also a nice challenge at the same time.